Forty Important Days End

Acts 1:1-11

Last Thursday was Ascension Day in the Christian calendar. No one realized that such an important event passed quietly. For the Armenians in the Middle East, schools are closed, church ladies circles organize traditional trips or have breakfast plans. Ascension Day becomes a vacation day, a day of relaxation and trips.

Such an important Christian event is forgotten in our daily busy activities. If you ask people what is Ascension Day, most of them cannot find an answer.

Christmas is the incarnation of Christ, Resurrection is victory over death, and the event of Ascension is the completion of the work of Christ on earth. Without Ascension, the work of Christ would be incomplete.

Luke, our physician and author of the Gospel and Acts of the Apostles, describes the event. Luke enjoys describing events in detail. Luke mentions the location where Jesus ascended in to heaven: Bethany. He dates it: 40 days after resurrection. He also mentions the eyewitnesses.

“When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” (Luke 24:50-53)

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9)

I know people have difficulty in believing in resurrection or such events as ascension. Ascending into heaven is against the laws of gravity. I can imagine the faces of the disciples watching Jesus going up. Brothers and sisters, this is reality and not a Hollywood movie. They were eyewitnesses. They saw it happen. Every time an airplane passes over my head, I look up amazed about the technology. How in the world thousand tons of iron can fly. If science can do it, the God of creation can do it.

Some people argue with me that if they don’t see it, they cannot believe it. I wonder how many invisible things exist around me. How about radio rays right now around us? How about the cellular signals floating around us and we don’t see them? How about TV signals and satellite waves? They are not visible, but do they exist?

How do I know that these waves exist? They need a transmitter, or a radio with the exact reception and the right frequency to receive the waves. One has to tune it in. Perhaps that is the problem with our faith. Are we in tune with God? Jesus was teaching his disciples to be in tune with him and with God. Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples after the resurrection. He ate with them; he had conversations with them; he taught them; he gave his last instructions; he prepared them for the next round. Luke writes in Acts,

“After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.” (Acts 1:3-5)

The 40 days of His appearing after the Resurrection were very vital for the disciples and the faithful followers of Jesus. Those days confirmed His Lordship. He removed their doubts and assured them of his authority. Forty days passed and now we move on to an important time. It is the time to end the earthly appearance, time to say goodbye. Jesus is leaving; he is going home. His earthly mission is completed and our part has started by the presence of the Holy Spirit. His last words were, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”(Acts 1:8)

What’s next? We will continue in English.